The three-time world time trial champion also won that event at the nationals last year, but will only ride the road race in the January 6-10 at Buninyong, near Ballarat.
Sydney's Peter McDonald caused a major upset in the nationals road race last year when he beat Rogers and Adam Hansen in a three-way sprint.
While McDonald was riding for Australian-based professional team Drapac Porsche, Rogers and Hansen were teammates at ProTour squad Columbia.
Usually, Rogers and Hansen would have worked McDonald over enough in the closing stages of the race to ensure one of them won, but somehow the underdog claimed the title.
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"Last year in the race there was a bit of an unexpected sprint, and I missed out, so there's definitely some sort of 'unfinished business'," Rogers said.
"Ten years ago people might have said 'what jersey is that?' when they saw the Australian national champion, but not any more.
"It's a very prestigious jersey to wear, and everyone knows that."
Indeed, this month's national titles have attracted a talent-packed field.
The men's 163km road race next Sunday, always the highlight of the national titles, will feature a record field of 143 riders.
Apart from Rogers, a top-10 finisher at the Tour de France, the race will include five of the last six winners - McDonald, Robbie McEwen, Matt Lloyd, Matt Wilson and Darren Lapthorne.
Other top Australian riders such as Allan Davis, Jack Bobridge and Baden Cooke are also in the field, along with Rogers' Columbia-HTC teammates Matt Goss and Leigh Howard.
There were reports a few weeks ago that Columbia wanted to beef up their nationals squad with the inclusion of three German teammates.
But the overseas riders are contracted to the January 17-24 Tour Down Under, which has made it clear it will not let these internationals can only race at the nationals unless there is financial compensation.
Davis is soon expected to confirm he has signed with ProTour team Astana for this season, after he unexpectedly cut ties with Quick Step late last year.
Bobridge, like Rogers, will miss Wednesday's time trial, making it tougher to predict who will win the race against the clock.
The nationals will start on Wednesday with the women's, men's under-23 and men's elite time trials.
Bridie O'Donnell, the 2008 winner, will start favourite in the women's time trial.
